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The Party
The majesty and grandeur of the court of Versailles came to life at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s annual All Aboard! Party, hosted by the Woman’s Board of the Chicago Horticultural Society.The Scene
During a welcome reception featuring festive decor and charming cafe tables, a crowd of more than 300 sipped libations and enjoyed decadent appetizers (steak tartare, triple cream fromage with caramel apple jam, and foie gras mousse with brandied cherries were on the menu) while being serenaded by classical French music courtesy of the Allium String Quartet. Three dining settings transported guests to the Garden of Versailles, Louis XVI’s library and the famed Hall of Mirrors, where they were treated to a lavish meal of mache salad with roasted beets and smoked salmon mousse in petite eggshells, beef tenderloin bourguignon and a dessert duet of white chocolate pots de creme and cranberry tartlets.The Highlights
Before departing, guests made their way to a crepe station for a made-to-order farewell treat. Another treat? The evening raised $250,000 for the Woman’s Board’s Growing the Future campaign. –Photos courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden